Notice Me
by veamgee
Summary: Nothing could beat getting the attention of someone by bumping into their car's back windshield. Literally. Now, if only Yumi could gather the courage to ask the girl out, life would surely be perfect.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"Yumi… wake up… or you'll be late for work… Yumi…"

A grumble leaves my lips as the familiar male voice tries another attempt—note, shake my entire body—to wake me up from my peaceful slumber. I roll over to my other side, opposite to the one where the stranger stands at. _Ha, you better try harder than that, stranger!_

The stranger groans exasperatedly. "Yumi, I know you're awake. That smirk kinda blows your cover off." I can feel said smirk morph into a frown at the truthfulness of his words. "Yumi, come on. Don't make me pour water on your face," the voice threatens.

My frown slants deeper. I snuggle into the softness of my pillow before grumbling out a muffled, "You wouldn't dare…" Although, I'm not too sure if the stranger can distinguish and understand what I just said.

"Oh, I would love to…" Rustling noises echo in the silence of my room.

As soon as those words are out, I feel something cold and wet hit my head. My brows furrow in confusion. _What was that?_ "You better not be spitting on my face," I mutter darkly, murderous thoughts running through my head.

Apparently, spit is the least of my worries and before I knew it, my head is completely drenched by cold water. Jolting up and sleepiness absolutely gone from my being, I stare daggers at my laughing brother. With gritted teeth, I say, "You are so dead."

His laughter pauses midway before he stares at me with wide fearful brown eyes. "Uh," he stammers out; a devilish grin spreads across my lips. He gulps as his nervousness is evident in his stance. He offers me a shaky smile before he mutters a quick, "I better go check on those pancakes… See you at the dining table, Nee-chan!" With that said, he sprints out of my room like a bat out of a cave.

_It_ _sorta does too_… A satisfied feeling dwells within me which quickly turns into annoyance as soon as I realize I have to leave the confines of my comfortable bed anytime now to start the day. _And go to work_, my mind adds. I let out a groan then a contented sigh upon feeling my passive muscles relaxing and awaken after stretching.

Getting out my mattress, I quickly make my way towards my dressers and pull out my needed clothing for the day: undies, a simple plain white V-necked shirt, a brown sweater and comfortable ripped jeans. It's not much but why should I dress extravagantly to work? With said articles in one hand, I grab my towel and dart towards the bathroom.

A quick shower later and now adorned in my work clothes, I make my way towards the place where the sound of my brother's humming originates—the kitchen. My mouth drools as soon as the delicious smell of eggs and bacon fills my senses.

Swiftly taking a seat, I grin broadly as soon as Yuuki sets a plate in front of me. "_Itadakimasu_~!" I bellow merrily before devouring my food.

"Geez, Yumi, slow down before you choke on your food," my brother admonishes gently with a shake of his head before he sets his own plate of food on the counter, takes a seat then proceeds to eat with so much care I would have laughed if I could.

Unfortunately for me, I start choking when a particularly medium-sized piece makes contact with my throat. My arms flail and I can feel my eyes widening before watering. I pleadingly look at my unamused brother.

He shakes his head but I notice a small smirk on his lips—_traitor_!—as he stands up and retrieves a glass of water for me. All in one slow teasing manner. _Double traitor_, my mind screams; I internally agree. He chuckles at my glare, sticks his tongue out at me before finally handing me my water.

I chug the drink in one go. After inhaling deeply, I point at him accusingly, "I could have died!"

He laughs heartily, shrugs then sarcastically says, "But you didn't, right? So, all is well."

I roll my eyes. "Stupid, annoying, good for nothing—"

My muttering is cut off when Yuuki squeaks an indignant and rather defensive, "Hey! I am none of those things, thank you very much!" He then proceeds to cross his arms and huffs, pouting as he turns his head away from me in an offended manner.

I smile at his childishness. _At least he's fine now_. When that thought crosses my mind, my happy mood dulls a bit. _Mother… Father, how we miss you so_. Before dark thoughts can consume my mind, something warm envelops my left hand. I look up and the sight of my brother's warm brown orbs greets me. He smiles to offer comfort before he squeezes my enveloped hand reassuringly.

A grateful smile covers my lips. Palms up, I grasp his hands and squeeze back before turning back to my breakfast and going back to devouring the delicious food, although now in a more reserved manner and more cautious pace.

After consuming my breakfast, I head to the sink and am about to wash the dishes when my brother's hands halt me in my actions. He states, "You'll be late if you'd do that. Let me."

To confirm his words, I look towards the small clock above the kitchen's archway and squeak out in horror. "Oh no!" I exclaim before washing my hands clean, kissing my brother's cheek in gratefulness—to which he promptly wipes the area I just kissed then grumbles petulantly—and hurrying up towards the front door in all of two minutes.

"I'm off! See you later, Yuuki!" I shout, body already half-way outside the threshold.

"Take care!" he responds, half of his sentence muffled by the now closed door.

A tender smile makes its way into my lips before I hurry towards my beloved bicycle.

"Take care, Yumi-chan," our elderly, kind neighbor bids gently as she passes by.

"T-thank you!" I stammer out, partly from surprise and the other from embarrassment for not noticing her earlier. She chuckles softly, reaches her doorstep where her husband has been waiting then they wave at me and enter their home. _Cute_, I think with a grin.

Mounting my transportation vehicle, I say a quick prayer to Maria-sama with added regards to my parents before pedaling off to begin the ride towards my workplace. The wind caresses my face delicately, one of the things I enjoy while riding my bike, as cars pass me by.

I brake at appropriate times but mostly my speed is a bit fast and constant, not wanting to be tardy. _Speaking of tardy_… I glance at my wristwatch and see that I have ten more minutes before my shift starts. _Oh no_…

I look up and notice that the light has turned green so with that, I pedal onwards then notice quite a number of girls dressed in a pleated dark green school uniform with a white collar and tie around its neck, looking elegant as per usual while walking along the sidewalk.

I hum as a smile works its way into my lips. It seems I'm almost there with a few minutes to spare.

The well-known school, Lillian Joguaken, is situated across the café I work at. Its students are known to be well-mannered and smart, seeing as it's one of the most prestigious schools in the country. A feeling of sadness settles in my guts as the thought of possibly not being able to finish my studies passes my mind.

Ever since our parents passed on to another life, Yuuki and I work in order to help pay off taxes and stuff to lessen the burden our grandparents now carry. _This wouldn't have to happen if that drunk driver didn't smash into their car_, I think with a scowl as the killer simply gets away with spending a part of his lifetime in prison while my family had to suffer the pain, emotionally and physically, the accident brought for the rest of our lives.

_Stupid people…_

My scowl deepens as dark thoughts now seem to occupy my head.

_Stupid alcohol… This is so unfair!_ I can feel my emotions starting to get the better of me so to avoid a breakdown so early in the morning, I breathe in deeply through my nose before exhaling softly, repeating the process twice before deeming myself calmer now than two minutes ago.

Of course, since I was too preoccupied with my thoughts, I don't notice a sleek black car parking in front of Lillian's gates until it's too late, causing me to crash into its tinted windows face first.

"_Itai_…" I grumble out, silently berating myself for being clumsy in front of other people, as I rub my sore nose to relieve some of the pain from the rather harsh bump.

Suddenly, a gasp rings out and a smooth, concerned voice reaches my ears, "Oh my, are you alright?"

Grumbling to myself, I sit up and jump out of the car's bump, shoes barely making a sound as I touch the ground. I hum slightly, eyes downcast making me see shiny brown shoes that appears brand new, then nod my head.

A hand gently touches my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. _Must be the owner of the voice_. I roll my eyes at myself. _Well, duh, who else could it be?_ Before my thoughts can consume me, the voice asks, "Are you sure?"

_Not really_ is what my mind wants me to say but the pain is slightly ebbing away so instead, I stutter out, "Y-yes."

The doubt coming from the person in front of me is now palpable, and if possible, has doubled. I sigh resignedly in my head. I don't particularly like meeting new people. One, I'm awkward; and two, I'm clumsier than the clumsiest man in Japan which can be attested by the crash I just had. Speaking of crash… I wonder where my bike is…

A cough breaks me from my thoughts, making me jolt in surprise. I can feel my face heating up as mortification spreads like a wildfire. _Concentrate, Yumi!_ I say to myself before taking in a deep breath to help me calm my nerves and get this over with before I really will be late for work.

I have decided earlier on that my answer will probably be more acceptable—and more sincere—if I make eye contact with whoever this person is. Exhaling, my eyes travel up, catching a slight glimpse of porcelain skin, and are greeted by the sight of Lillian's well-known pleated dark green skirt. I resist the urge to gulp. Sure, she's a Lillian student but she can't be that bad if she went out of her way to see if I were alright, right? _I sure hope so_.

I roll my eyes mentally. Great, I'm talking to myself again. I have got to stop that. Shaking my head and trying in vain to keep any more embarrassment—God knows I have had enough to last a lifetime—to a minimum, my eyes continue on their journey and notice lean hips supporting a toned stomach up a modest-sized chest that holds a perfectly tied knot.

My blush intensifies as my eyes widen a fraction, gulping from the sudden dryness of my throat. There must be something wrong with me. No, come on, Yumi, concentrate!

Inhaling deeply once more, I skip on ahead, deciding that I would turn to mush if I so much as catch a glimpse of a surely just as elegant neck, only to choke on my breath as my gaze falls on what people would deem perfection.

As the wind whistles, her silky raven-colored hair dances with its tune, framing a face sculpted by gods that could elicit jealousy from anyone she meets. Her brows, though slightly furrowed, are delicate and are only accentuated by her defined nose. Her cheeks so smooth to see, and probably just as smooth to touch, are dusted with a barely there hint of color—most likely from the heat—while her rosy red lips are slanted slightly downwards in a frown; nevertheless, they look kissable, really kissable.

My face burns, making me comparable to a ripe walking tomato, as my thoughts zero in on the beauty's lips. Although, the feature that draws me in the most are the swirls of her beautiful azure orbs. Eyes that house mysteries that my heart itches to uncover; eyes that show emotions her perfect face refuses to project; eyes that clearly portray the loneliness she feels everyday of her life. Eyes that make my heart skip a few beats.

And right now, even though her expression is a mixture of concealed worry and trained aloofness, she is easily the most beautiful person my eyes has ever lain upon.

I swallow hard, trying to moisten my dry throat, before bowing. "I'm fine, thank you for your concern. Have a good day!"

After that, I quickly grab my bike and all but rush across the road, park and lock my bike in place and enter the café, willing myself not to look back.

However, if I did peek back, I would have caught the look of surprise mixed with thoughtfulness on her beautiful face as she stared at my retreating form.

**~;~**

**A/N: Hey you guys. I know you're not thrilled to see me begin another one without finishing the others but I am stuck there right now. I'm sure I'll figure things out but please don't expect it to be too soon.**

**This is unbeta-ed because I'm not sure if Miracles79 would still be willing to do that for me. I won't blame him though, we lost contact. And it may be because I forgot my password for that account. Don't bother telling me about answering the questions they provided because for the life of me, I can't remember the name of my eldest cousin. O.O**

**Anyways, I don't own the franchise at all. If I did, Yumi and Sachiko would have surely gotten together. *shrugs*And, I ask you to be patient with the others; I still have to tap into my muse to provide updates for you guys.**


	2. Chapter 2

Terribly sorry this came out so late. Had to deal with some writer's problems—laziness. Anyways, this one has no beta so each and every mistake you spot, I take full responsibility. And thank you for the support in this little story of mine.

**Disclaimer: In no way, shape or form do I own Maria-sama ga Miteru.**

Have fun!

**Chapter Two**

The flutter of the wind caresses my face; my gaze focused on soulful azure eyes. The irises shift as they flicker and search my own, figuratively tearing down the defensive walls I've built within me and then reading me as if they have known me their entire life.

As the saying goes, our eyes are the windows to our soul but I have never truly grasped the meaning behind the words, well, until _we_ met, that is. _Perhaps_, my mind surmises, _we have known each other in our past lives_ as our eyes remain locked in each other's gaze.

Our eyes say it all. Searching, connecting and attempting to understand what the other means to our mind, body and soul. This whole thing—strange as it is—scares me a whole lot; I have never known this kind of emotion growing up—not something as strong as this with someone who is basically a stranger to me. That is why, _this_ scares me.

A frown morphs its way into my face, hers matching mine as soon as she sees my sudden sullen expression which, in turn, promptly makes my eyes focus on her plump lips. I just want to kiss them, take them, mark them, bit—heavens, there should be an arrest warrant for her lips; I mean do they have to be so... so _damn_ kissable?

I groan internally at my newly discovered perverted side and finally break eye contact. It's bad enough that I am pretty clumsy and destroy everything that's within range of my cursed hands but then fate goes and plays a game with me, letting me meet and feel for an obviously prestigious—beautiful, might I add—woman by crashing face first into her car's back windshield. Why would Maria-sama make me suffer like this? _Why_?

"Are you alright, Yumi?" a melodious voice asks me.

"Huh, yeah, of course," I answer absentmindedly, too busy being whiny and pathetic in my own thoughts to decipher just _who_ asked me such a question. That itty bitty little detail, though, clicks not a moment too soon, instantly halting my brain from sulking even further.

My eyes snap to hers. At first, I gape at her concerned face in surprise then proceed to stutter out a, "D-d-d…" for about thirty seconds before I visibly shake my head to get myself together. Great, she might think of me as not only clumsy but also stupid, with a capital s. I physically cringe at the possibility. _No, keep your cool, Yumi. Just answer her question without faltering any more_, my inner self demands. Right, I can do this.

Breathing in deeply, I tilt my head to the side and question curiously, "How do you know my name?"

Azure orbs shine in amusement, the crinkles by her eyes showing. I can feel her chuckles before I hear it. "Why wouldn't I when you've worked for me for two weeks now?"

My brows shoot to my hairline before they furrow in confusion. What?

The twinkle of amusement gives way to a haze of confusion and concern. She repeats, "Are you alright, Yumi-san?"

Distracted with the possibilities in my mind on how she knows my name, I subconsciously nod in response.

"Are you sure?" Her voice sounds close and I remind myself to focus and not look like a complete imbecile. I look up and hold her intense stare as I firmly answer, "Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

She tilts her head to the side, curiosity dominant in her gaze. How adorable. No, Yumi! You shouldn't think of her in that manner! You should—

"Really, Yumi-san?"

My brows furrow as my lips slant downwards. Did I hear that right?

"Yumi-san?"

My confusion grows. How is it possible? Did—did her voice sound different just now? I stare at her unwaveringly and I could have sworn the color of her irises changed from a deep blue to a light green. I blink three times to make sure I did _not_ just imagine that because, seriously? Is that even humanly possible?

A dainty hand waves in front of me, snapping me out of my musings. "Huh?" is my rather eloquent answer. Charming, I know.

A giggle I am far too familiar with reaches my ears. Once again, my eyes snap to attention and, instead of swirling blues, I am met with amused emeralds. I blink out my haze of confusion and center my attention at my amused but worried store manager, Tanuma Misa-sama.

She smiles, eyes crinkling in the process, and says, "I see you have snapped out of whatever dream you were having."

I smile back, a little hesitant but mostly apologetic. "Sorry," I mumble out, fingers toying with the hem of my shirt—a nervous tic I had developed over the years.

She grins then gently places a hand on my shoulder before squeezing them reassuringly. "It's quite alright. Anyways, why don't you have a little break? It might do you some good, yeah?"

My gaze falls on the store clock. It reads fifteen minutes after three. Well, time sure flies; I wasn't even aware my shift's almost done for the day. Come to think of it, I'm not that conscious of my actions throughout the day. I don't know if I should be relieved or terrified with my ability to work while zoned out. I turn back towards Tanuma-sama and offer a nod in response.

Her grin widens before she practically shoves me towards the employees' locker rooms. I shake my head in amusement, but comply with her silent demand.

The room I enter in is of moderate size with beige-colored walls. I walk towards one corner where a row of lockers are placed and quickly scan the numbers to locate mine—Locker Number 08. The clicks of my heels being the only sound heard in the otherwise eerily silent atmosphere.

Once I spotted my locker, I lean against it and breathe in heavily, trying in vain to calm my quickly escalating pulse. Ever since that terrible night, the silence brings forth the feeling of dread and helplessness. Images bombard me, bringing me back to that night where I experienced fear upon seeing Yuuki's bloodied face and a sense of failure for my unconscious parents while simultaneously feeling numb. Numb for myself, numb for my situation.

The chime of my phone literally jolts me back to reality, fortunately freeing me from my nightmare but unfortunately causing me to bump my forehead into the metal doors. Grumbling at my misfortune, I quickly put in my lock code, grab my backpack and search for my still ringing phone.

"Aha!" I exclaim excitedly—note, this is my dorky side—and triumphantly toss my hand up in the air, ringing phone flying out of my grasp in the process. A loud crash, a frightened squeal and an annoyed grumble later, I finally locate the device under the bench that looks to be taunting me in my imagination, all the while being berated by Tanuma-sama for scaring her. I smirk at that. She should be used by my eccentricity right about now.

After apologizing and receiving an amused shake of the head, I grab my precious mug, head towards the work station and start making some hot chocolate. Upon accomplishing my task, I walk towards the open space outside the café before sitting down on a table for two near the far right corner—the corner that has a great view of Lillian, err, I mean, the slightly busy streets and luscious green trees.

Flipping my phone open, I notice the one who called me was my very own brother. I frown in confusion before promptly ringing him back. He answers after three rings. I press on the _loud speaker_ option.

"Hello?"

"Yuuki?"

"No, it's the abominable snowman," he deadpans. I chuckle sarcastically to humor him while taking a sp of my drink; he laughs heartily in response before sobering up and whispering in a somber tone, "I don't know what to cook for dinner tonight."

I choke on my drink. As I tried in vain to clear up my passageway, Yuuki's raucous laughter clearly rings out of the phone's speakers. Some brother you are, Yuuki. A few minutes later, with my breathing now back to normal but sporting a nose that hurts from the liquid entering it earlier, Yuuki's disembodied voice echoes in the silence, "Are you alright, Yumi?"

Nursing my slightly throbbing nose in one hand, I reply with a muffled grumble, "What do you think?"

He chuckles and I can just picture him shaking his head in amusement.

"Glad I could be your source of humor, dear brother."

Once again, he snickers and even snorts as he manages to apologize in between gasps of air, which is quite a feat—while I patiently wait for his glee to pass by. A minute or two has now passed since Yuuki stopped laughing, well, aside from the occasional giggles as a pause descends upon our conversation.

I roll my eyes in an attempt to stop myself from joining in. Unfortunately, my control seems to have flown out of the building as a laugh works its way out of my lips, triggering and tickling Yuuki's funny bone to another round of laughter.

"S'not… funny," I say amidst my giggles, one arm around my midsection as I tried but failed to lessen the internal ache in my belly from my laughs. It's of good pain, though.

"Of course it isn't, sis."

My nose rises up in the air as I huff indignantly; he chuckles at my dramatics even though he couldn't see. "Anyways," I stretch out the word, "you called me because you don't know what to cook for dinner?"

He playfully huffs back. "Hey, it isn't easy to decide such things, alright? Imagine being in my position, Yumi."

"Why, yes, I'm sure it's hard to decide whether to cook either fish or pork with some rice and potatoes for tonight or not," I teasingly drawl out, grinning wide as Yuuki huffs a genuine breath of annoyance.

"You're not taking this seriously! You have it easy because your decision wasn't influenced by the variety of choices I was succumbed to!" he argues with a hint of accusation.

I shrug and state, "Too bad for you then, Yuuki."

He growls and I swear I heard a foot stomp somewhere in the background. Chuckling at his rarely portrayed childishness, I coo softly in my best impression of a toddler's voice, "Is my little brother annoyed?"

I hear him take a deep breath before exhaling it harshly. Mentally, I am cackling like an evil scientist.

"Joke all you want, Yumi."

I giggle before half-heartedly apologizing. He easily brushes off my apology then states, "I have to go, though. Still have to season the meat and slice then boil the vegetables." He groans; I ask what's wrong. "I still have to cook the rice," he whines then grumbles.

I chuckle at his expense before bidding him an amused farewell.

He laughs heartily. "Alright, take care in going home, you hear?"

I puff out a playful breath and arrogantly say, "I'm always careful."

"I'm sure you are," he placates but then he giggles—giggles—and teasingly advises, "Don't go bumping into any cars." Before, he promptly hangs up.

I can just hear the scratch of a disc in my head as I gape disbelievingly at my phone's screen. With a crushing hold on my phone, I grit out, "That sneaky little…"

Thoroughly amused, I huff out a breath as a smirk makes its way into my lips. "Well played, Yuuki," I admit to myself. Deciding I had ample time for a break, I quickly consume my now moderately hot drink before entering. After taking a small detour to wash my cup and placing it back in my locker, I head towards the comfort room to relieve myself.

I flush, rinse then close the door in a span of three minutes before making my way behind the counter.

"Ah, Yumi-chan," Tanuma-sama greets; I smile in kind and reach out for the cup in her hand—my own way of saying, "_I'll take it from here_."

She slaps my hand away and mockingly glares at me. "This is my order to complete," she says, tucking the cup safely on her protective hands.

I pout. "But I have no work to do!"

The jingle of the bell disrupts our banter. I turn towards the door, gaze landing on familiar dark green cloth, and sure enough, once I look up, I see a Lillian student.

She has alabaster skin—what is it with Lillian students and their fair skin tone?—and twinkling hazel eyes; pink lips curved into a friendly smile, urging me to smile enthusiastically in return; and jet black hair up to her shoulders. Her features are that of traditional Japanese beauty and she is definitely attractive in her own right, but _that_ girl's—a flash of cerulean orbs in my mind—beauty certainly knows no bounds.

Wait. A Lillian student? My eyes shoot up towards the clock and sure enough, it is now a quarter to four. Unconsciously, my face scrunches. Just how long was my talk with Yuuki?

A cough snaps me out of my thinking. Looking up, I see the girl in front of me, standing primly as she stares at me amusedly. I laugh sheepishly while nervously fiddling with my shirt's sleeve. Exhaling, I square my shoulders and grin at her brightly. "Sorry. Good afternoon, miss, how may I be of service to you?"

She beams back at me. "No, it's fine," she emphasizes her point by shaking her head. She then focuses on our menu board, scans the words then tilts her head to the side in consideration.

I couldn't suppress my smile with how cute she's acting.

Her gaze flicks to me for a moment. She does a double take then raises a brow in question. I quickly school my features. She just continues to look at me with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"Sorry," I mutter, averting my gaze from her intense ones. I hear a girly giggle. Glancing discreetly at my customer, I see her covering her lips with a dainty hand. I sigh to myself, but a smile forms on my lips. Gathering up whatever dignity I have left in front of this maiden, I look up and offer her a crooked smile.

A blush slowly forms on her cheeks, to which I have no idea why, before she fakes a cough and composes herself. "Well, uh, an order of Caramel Cookie Bar Frappuccino, Grande, please," she stutters out politely.

My smile widens at her sudden awkwardness. Chuckling softly, I punch in her order. "Coming right up. That would be four hundred fifty-eight and twenty-eight yen, Miss…" I trail off in a questioning manner.

She grins, offers me her hand and pleasantly says, "Kanina Shizuka."

The hand I shook is smooth, that's for sure. It's as if she didn't work a dime all her life, then again, she probably didn't. Aside from writing or cleaning duties, an Ojou-sama like her—she clearly is, by the looks of it—has servants left and right who would be of service to her at whim.

"Hello, Kanin—"

"Shizuka is fine," she interrupts with a smile, but the tone of her voice has an underlying sense of seriousness. All I can do is nod in acceptance.

"Alright, Shizuka-sama."

After releasing my hold on her hand, I take her offered bill, request her to take a seat, take note of which table she sat on and quickly set to work. Humming a tune only I know of, I grab the necessary ingredients and materials before performing the steps Tanuma-sama taught me days ago.

"Excuse me?"

I look over my shoulder and notice Shizuka-sama facing me directly. Once she sees my attention has been captured, she offers me a smile and softly states, "I never got your name. Don't you think it's only fair since I told you mine?"

I frown in confusion, halting my movements with my task, and turn to face her fully. My head unconsciously tilts as I think about her logic. And she does make sense, I conclude after a moment of deliberation. Shrugging nonchalantly, I introduce myself with a bow, "Forgive my rudeness, Ka—" a nervous chuckle escapes me at her glare, "—err, Shizuka-sama. I am Fukuzawa Yumi. It's nice to meet you."

Her glare morphs into a triumphant—and I could have sworn her eyes flashed with laughter—grin. She stands and bows in return. "Fukuzawa Yumi-chan, it is _my_ pleasure to meet you," she says with a delighted smirk.

Scratching my cheek, I chuckle nervously. I don't quite know what to make of her answer, and added with how pleased she looks, it sends warning signals inside my head. Before I can ask her what she means, however, she beats me to it.

"You're quite popular in Lillian, Yumi-chan."

A drop of sweat trickles down my neck. I gape at her disbelievingly as she looks on at me with unbidden enjoyment.

"My, my, you're absolutely adorable," she coos.

My face immediately flames. God, I just hope I'm not _that_ red. My plea looks unanswered as Shizuka-sama giggles, her shaking shoulders indicators of how hard she's trying to control herself. "Well, I uh… I-I-I…" I stutter out at first, but immediately clamp my mouth shut upon realizing I am just digging my own hole.

Again, she apologizes in between breaths. Well, at least, her giggles are subsiding. I sigh to myself.

"I'm not kidding, though."

My gaze snaps to hers, brow quirking in silent inquiry.

A teasing smirk forms on her lips. "Anyone would instantly be well-known if they bumped into Sachiko-san's car quite unexpectedly. Speaking of which, I do hope you are alright, Yumi-chan," she conveys with a genuine smile. I can only nod—dumbly, might I add. "But, yes, because of the incident earlier, you are known in school. Plus," she shrugs, a devilish glint in her eyes that had me swallowing anxiously, "the rumors of how adorable you are may have added fuel to the fire."

Another round of stammers and girly giggles take effect. She sits back down and I hurriedly turn back to my task at hand. Well, at least now I have _her_ name. It isn't her complete one, but it's more than enough.

"Sachiko," I breathe out in a whisper, testing how the name sounds coming out from my lips. Heat slowly spreads from my face down to my now rapidly beating heart. My poor heart can't take this much stress—and all because of a name!—so I force myself to take a deep, really deep, breath to calm down.

I shouldn't be feeling this way. It's not like I even know the girl, so, no, I should definitely not be feeling this way. If only I know how to stop my heart from skipping or even my hands from sweating just thinking of the girl's name.

Shaking my head, in hopes to push away thoughts of the beautiful girl away from my mind, I stare at the ingredients on the table top; it takes me about three minutes to calm myself down from the previous embarrassment and approximately another six minutes to make the drink.

As I am about to take it to Shizuka-sama's table, I jump a bit in surprise—thankfully not spilling the drink—as I'm met with her smile near the counter. I exhale slowly before offering her a small shaky smile.

"Shi—" I let out a cough to cover my embarrassingly high pitched voice just now, "Shizuka-sama, you scared me…"

She daintily giggles behind her hand. Are students from Lillian this well-mannered? Or is she naturally this polite? My thoughts on the matter are set aside for the moment when her sincere apology registers in my mind.

My hesitant smile turns genuine. "No need to apologize, Shizuka-sama, really. But, uh, here you are. One Grande Caramel Cookie Bar Frappuccino—" I hand in her order with a smile. "—we hope that you enjoy your drink. And please, come again." I thank the heavens I managed to get that out with minimal stuttering. After all, one could only take too much discomfiture in one day.

She thanks me for the service, hands me a piece of folded paper, says we should talk again soon and wishes me a good day before walking out of the café. Confused is what I felt as I stared at where she just exited before glancing at the piece of paper in my hand and back. Curiosity getting the better of me, I cautiously open the small piece of ripped parchment. It says:

_I meant what I said. It has been a joy to talk with you and would love to be friends with you, if you'd please, of course._

_**P.S.**__ This is my personal cell's number 080-8963-3421_

_**P.S.S.**__ You can use that number to ask me any questions regarding Sachiko-san. I do hope to hear from you soon!_

_-Kanina Shizuka_

I don't need a mirror to know how red my face is right now.

"Are you alright, Yumi-chan?"

My eyes snap up and meets Tanuma-sama's concerned yet curious gaze. Offering her a shaky smile, I awkwardly laugh before stammering, "Y-yes, Tanuma-sama, I'm fine."

Her once kind eyes narrowed, playfully. "Are you sure about that?"

I would have worried for my neck if I weren't so nervous. She stares at me critically before reluctantly nodding her consent. Although I'm quite sure her concern has not been squashed, I'm grateful she didn't push for more. Because if she did, I would have been a minute away from passing out, what with all the blushing that was sure to take place. Just thinking of _her_ makes me lightheaded.

The rest of my shift is spent in comfortable silence, with the occasional glance by my employer. I sigh mentally. I know I'm clumsy, but I'm not _that_ clumsy. Another sigh escapes my lips, because, yes, I am _that_ clumsy.

Shaking my head of thoughts about my clumsiness and my inept ability to trip in air, I look up in time to notice my shift ends in about five minutes. With that in mind, I hurry my actions and help out in washing the glasses recently brought to the sink.

"Yumi-chan?"

At the sound of my name, I look over my shoulder and see Tanuma-sama smiling at me gently. Washing my hands free of soap then drying them with a towel, I turn around, giving her my complete attention despite my confusion.

She chuckles softly, probably from how I'm regarding her. My family always did say my face reflects my feelings, quite literally at that. "It's nothing bad, dear. There is no need to worry. I'm just here to remind you it is now five o'clock and that you're free to go. Thank you so much for your help; it is much appreciated."

Heat creeps up from my neck and ears. Frantically waving, I dismiss her gratitude as politely as I could. "No, no, it's my job now, Tanuma-sama… eh?" Before my embarrassed tirade could even begin, I have to stop with the intensity of her glare. "Um…"

She sighs, exasperated and a touch amused. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that, Yumi-chan?"

"Eh?" Perhaps, I should tell you all how fond of the word I am. Still, it's not my fault for feeling confused, what with how vague my employer is being.

Her eyes brighten with mirth, lips curling in obvious amusement. I can feel my blush redoubling its efforts; if this continues, I'm absolutely sure I'd pass out from all the blood rushing into my head. "Ah, I see you're still as cute as ever," Maybe I'll be passing out sooner than I expected, "but, please, dear. Why are you being so formal with me?"

Unconsciously, my head tilts to the side. Why is she asking me such a weird question? As I was ready to voice out my response, she lifts her hand up and gives me a smile. "I am your godmother, Yumi-chan. You don't have to be so formal with me, you know?"

A bout of realization crashes into me, my lips parting ever so slightly. Smiling sheepishly at her, I awkwardly rub my neck as I stutter out an apology. My awkwardness and embarrassment doubles as she giggles at my reaction.

"It's fine, dear. I suppose I can't blame you for that, now, can I? It has been so long since we've seen each other, and, well, the circumstances for our reunion really weren't all the pleasant, now, was it?" A rueful smile makes its way into her lips, her features turning somber as her eyes glazed over, and I catch the sight of tears forming on her rims before she looks down, staring daggers at the ground.

Feeling bad and simultaneously devastated at the reminder of my parents and her grief, I reach out and grasp her hand tightly before giving them a reassuring squeeze. She looks up with a shaky smile and I give in to my urge of embracing her. "It's alright, Tanuma-daibo." Her hold tightens; a wet spot starts to form on my shirt as her tears trickle down her cheeks. "We have all the time in the world now, and no matter what, always remember that the past is in the past. Let's not dwell on such dark memories and try to move on, ne?"

Her breath hits my skin, my hold on her subconsciously tightens, as she chuckles before she squeezes me to her in a reassuring gesture and backs off an arm's length from me. She smiles toothily, if not half-wistfully, and cups my face with both of her hands. "Your mother has always been optimistic as well. Quite a pair they make, she and your father," she says, a fond smile on her face as her eyes once again glaze over, her mind swallowed by her memories I will never be privy to.

A good amount of time has passed before she snaps herself out of her reverie by visibly shaking her head. My lips quirk up in barely concealed amusement; she takes notice of it and playfully rolls her eyes. My smile turns cheeky before I bow and say my goodbyes and well wishes of her getting back home safe.

"You as well, Yumi-chan!" she says happily with a cheerful wave. I respond with a grin before heading out of the shop and standing near the tree where I parked my bike. As I stand there and take a look at the scenery, my gaze falls upon a group of Lillian students, more specifically on a raven-haired girl standing at the very core of them all.

Admittedly, the other girls are noticeably a beauty in their own right, but my mind is definitely set on the fact that she is the most beautiful of them all. And as if hearing she were in my mind, her cerulean orbs connect with mine, its curiosity increasing in intensity with each passing second in our connection. A smile tugs at my lips before letting it reign free on my face.

Her brows furrow, but I definitely saw the small twitch in her own lips. My smile feels lopsided now; I wouldn't be surprised if I look like a fool. A bus blocks my vision as it stops to where I'm standing, irritating me for some reason. But deep down, I knew the source of my irritation is the fact that I am forced to break eye contact with hers.

As soon as the bus passes by, my eyes search for hers. Unfortunately, she is now talking with one of her companions, a fair girl with short black hair. My gaze lingers on her before deciding to scan the faces of her friends; at least in my mind, they are her friends.

A beautiful girl with equally beautiful friends; a treasured picture in people's minds, for sure. My brows furrow, however, when my contemplative brown ones catch those of twinkling grey orbs. The owner of said stare is a blonde; her looks resemble those of Western folks. She shifts her stare from me to her and back again. If at all, her eyes sparkle even more; I have never seen such mischievous eyes.

I shift uneasily on my spot as a shiver of fear runs down my spine. The blonde's lips curl into a smirk that spoke volumes; I subconsciously gulp in response and quickly avert my eyes, only to see that all of them are now staring at me in varying degrees of curiosity, puzzlement and amusement. One of them stands out and I just know it belongs to her.

Even if I don't personally know her and that this may be only a product of my overactive imagination, her stare is one of genuine interest and comfort, the gentleness in them overwhelming me a little bit. I bring my stare to her and, once again, we lose ourselves in our connection. The gazes of the other girls burn into my skin, the differing emotion in them doubling upon seeing I am the focus of their friend's look. Naturally, I ignore them in favor of hers—not that it mattered, she always comes first.

A few minutes pass by when a sleek black car stops in front of the group. A frown creases on her brows, a surprising measure of disappointment creeping into her eyes. My expression mirrors hers before it morphs to shock that then settles on shyness.

My face resembles that of a tomato with how hot my blush feels as a series of heart flutters and nervous twists in my stomach goes amuck as she blesses me with a smile before she bids her farewell to her friends and disappears into the car; my eyes following her movements the entire time until her car rounds a corner.

I glance back up to the group and find them studying me with obvious intrigue, making me sweat nervously. Their staring continues so I offer an awkward smile with a stiff wave of my hand. Their reaction is instantaneous; slight widening of the eyes before they physically shake their heads and return my greeting with delighted smirks and soft smiles. Then, they walk off.

After making sure every single one of them had gone, I let out a soft, relieved breath. Something's telling me my life has now taken a complete one-eighty turn, and it's not just because of Sachiko-sama. So far, the people she's associated with are very interesting, though, they are not my first priority.

My hand automatically reaches into my pockets, feeling the piece of paper within. A cheeky grin worms its way into my face, heart thudding inside my chest as I think of her and the memory of her smile. I can't wait to tell Yuuki.

My heart stops. Oh no. My brother… what am I going to say to my brother?

"_Konichiwa, Yuuki, I met a girl, a very beautiful girl, today and I think I'm attracted to her. Oh before I forget, she's also the owner of the car I bumped into this morning_."—Oh yes, that would go over so well.

I roll my eyes at my thoughts. I never knew I could be so sarcastic. Sobering quickly, I sigh to myself as various thoughts once again occupied my mind. How would Yuuki react about all of this? Would he accept and support me? Or get disgusted and turn me away? Does my brother even have a mean bone in his body?

I pause at that, because yes, yes he does.

More importantly, am I attracted to girls in general or only her, specifically? How would I know if I don't even like guys that way? I don't date. Well, I haven't had the urge to date somebody until now. So does that mean I'm gay? But, why do I find actors and some male singers handsome? Does that mean I am possibly bisexual?

My shoulders slump as I groan in frustration. Questions just keep stacking up the more that I think about it and it doesn't look like I'm finding any answers soon.

"I could really use some help, mom," I grumble to myself as I stare up into the heavens. This whole mess would have been easier to deal with if she were here. But then again, how would she and dad react if I consult them about all of this?

Come to think of it, this whole issue wouldn't even be an issue if I didn't bump into her car earlier. Why? Why did the gods bless her with such tremendous beauty? Better yet, why couldn't the gods have made me bump into another person's car? If that happened, I probably wouldn't be in this kind of predicament.

I sigh. My thoughts really aren't of help to me at all. Maybe I should just talk this out to my brother, and whatever the outcome may be, I would strive to be happy. Even if he wouldn't be a part of it. Another sigh escapes my lips. Just the thought of not having Yuuki in my life is enough to cause me sadness.

I shake my head vehemently. That would not happen since I know Yuuki is a great guy. He tries to understand things first before he judges them so I am sure he'd be okay with all of this after some thinking and a heartfelt discussion. After all, he believes the importance of family even more after we lost our parents. That's right; our bond won't be shattered that quickly just because I may be attracted to girls—well, one girl in particular.

Mind made up and doubts temporarily appeased, a smile makes its way into my lips. Yuuki is my brother and I know he loves me just as much as I treasure him. I just have to have faith that his love will shine through his fear of the unknown.

And after we discussed things, maybe he could help me find ways on how to get to know the girl and hopefully win her affections. And then I'll meet her friends then later on, her parents. And then I could ask for her hand after five or six years and we'd have a family, and… and…

I'm getting ahead of myself. Shaking my head, I cover my red face with my hands but I couldn't deny my smile morphing into a grin at the thought of her and me being a possibility. Goodness! I don't even know the girl personally and I'm already having fantasies! Bad brain, bad…

I chuckle quietly to myself. I must be a sight for sore eyes to any third party. Fetching out my phone, I check the time and see that half an hour has passed since I began rambling inside my head and search for my parked bicycle.

A few minutes later though, my face pales in realization. My bike was nowhere to be seen.

"Eh?!"


End file.
